If you can’t (and you’re not at a Benz Dealership) keep working at it until you can.

When I first started paying attention to this stuff I used to do this all the time… I’d walk into a Walmart or CVS or wherever and see if I could afford the most expensive thing in there (usually a TV or stereo or something). I’d never spend my money on it or anything, but MAN did it feel empowering knowing none of it was out of my range!

And when you think about the reasons to pay attention to your money and grow it, isn’t that what it’s really about in the end? Empowerment?

And having enough to afford whatever you need, mixed with what you simply want at times?

I was reminded of this game again over the weekend when I took the boys to Petsmart and came across the following (hopefully mind blowing!) bird:

“$600 for a bird??” I screamed internally. “Who has the money for that?”

“Oh yeah – I do.” I smiled back to myself. “Let’s see what else I could afford in this place!”

And just like that I felt on top of the world again… and $600 richer too, knowing I’d never pony it up for an exotic animal :) (And btw – pet stores? One of the best ways to entertain your kids! Not only FREE, but super convenient! Where else could you hit up a Zoo-quarium every time you run errands?)

So next time you’re at a store, look for the most expensive thing and see if you can buy it. As your wealth goes up, so does your status in The Financial Empowerment Game™!

Here are the levels you can achieve once you can check off each store:

With around $500,000 in savings/investments (let’s forget about taxes/etc for the sake of having fun) I’m hovering around the Master Baller status, trying to figure out how the hell to enter Baller Baller status? Which, arguably, is quite the jump most of us will never be able to achieve.

But that’s okay.

Once you can buy pretty much anything you could ever want at any normal store you go to, who cares about the rest? You’ve done a fine job and now get to enjoy your spoils! That being mainly FREEDOM. Which, though you can’t buy at any store, is the one item you should actually be striving for. And the only cost you control too!

So. Want to start feeling better about your money? Head out to the stores! Which will be the only time you ever hear me say that :) You might not be at a Baller status yet, but just getting a few McDonalds’ and liquor stores under your belt will help get your mojo flowing in no time… (also something you’ll never hear me say again, haha…)

And remember – if there’s anything better than being able to afford something expensive, it’s being able to afford something expensive and NOT buying it!

That is a crazy expensive bird. A pet store recently opened up near us and we strolled through it one day. I can’t remember which animal but I was shocked by some of the prices. Never thought of the empowerment angle though! Now time to hit some luxury car dealerships! :)

Haha! I had to read your reply four times before I got that you were calling him a baby Warren Buffett, not a buffet (as in unlimited food-eating). At first I was thinking “what do buffets have to do with this? Wait–is it a buffet that serves babies?” And then I smacked myself in the forehead when I realized that of course you meant Buffett. LOL.

We’re in level 5 I think, but like you said – we definitely won’t be spending anything at that level! It’s very nice to be able to know we have the financial security to be able to afford that.

But, it does make me cringe a little seeing that people DO go into those places to buy something. I try not to judge, it’s their money (or debt) to spend as they will. But why don’t they want to retire early?!

Hey – everyone is mocking the bird price – it’s a 15-20 year bird, so $30-40 bucks/year :) And it’s “vocal” too (yet limited speaking?) meaning it will annoy you for that long too. Who wouldn’t want that? I think we’ll be stuck at Level 6 too – no worries, we hate going out and spending money on stuff!

Great idea! One thing about eBay in regards to their high prices…. I swear some of that is money laundering. I’ve searched for things I want and see crazy high prices for said items worth a fraction of their listing price (and it’s nothing with rare value). I think the TV show Elementary did an episode involving money laundering on an online shopping website so perhaps I have that to blame for my beliefs.

A $600 bird! That’s crazy! Glad you can afford it, though :) I learned this trick from my friend: she says when she walks into Target, rather than feeling deprived about not buying what isn’t on her list, she tells herself she can have anything she wants there. That freedom takes away the urge to impulse shop. Reminds me of your game–I love it!

That bird has a long lifespan! Totally worth it on a year to year breakdown. ;)

I used to do this with billboards. The fancy jewelry, perfume, Calvin Kleins (I was hoping to buy the guy not the underwear )…then I realized eventhough I could buy these things , I didn’t really want them. Such a great headspace (and financial position) to be in. How much does one of those underwear models cost anyway???

Oh, that bird. I wish we had pets sometimes. We have the money, not the time. What a most excellent game. I play a version of this in Las Vegas whenever we go. First, we like to guess if we’re going to see more Starbucks or Louis Vuitton stores down any given stretch. Then, I like to try to guess which designer has the most expensive window display. Last Christmastime was particularly…errr, pricey?!

Like the game. If I think about buying something I want instead of need, I think of what I can spend the money on instead. Normally I don’t buy it. Of course, I think of myself more as a cheapskate or stingemister instead of a baller. I’ll take this approach next time I go out.

Same as you we are in the Master Baller, “aiming for the Baller-Baller” category. This is actually a fun game to play. And yes, it is a great feeling once you get to the point that you could virtually buy anything that’s in store (with a few notable exceptions, obviously).

Right now I am focusing on seeing the things this world is selling but transcending the desire for them. It also helps that once you can afford something it seems easier to not want that thing at all. Similar to how before you are 21 all you want to do is drink massive amounts of cheap beer, but once it is legal you don’t really care anymore, its lost its luster.

Haha, yup… I remember dreaming about McDonalds cheeseburgers my entire life, swearing I’d go out and buy them every single day once I had my own car :) This of course changed later when girls and parties came into the picture.

There is a house on Flathead lake that the owners tried to sell for 79 million, but is now in foreclosure for the bargain price of 44 million. We love hanging out on that lake, hiking and swimming. There is nothing like the Flathead valley to make a person feel rich in lifestyle and poor in housing.

If it lives for 15 to 20 years, you also gotta feed it for that long, pay vets bills or insurance, bedding for the cage. Too often, people at level 1 spend a lot on animals or other luxuries, and their mindset keeps them from getting to level 2.

I just had this thought this weekend when I was thinking, when I know I’m to my ultimate financial level is when if work ever becomes bad and I can say, “ok, I won’t be in tomorrow.,” and be totally at peace with that. According to your chart, I’m at about a #6, maybe a #7 with homes in Michigan. :)

Very cool post, and a great way to look at things. Ultimately.its less about the amount of money you have, and more about the feeling of empowerment/safety/freedom it gives you. Money doesn’t buy happiness but it does allow you the security to focus on what does give you happiness.

I am stoking a serious love of birds right now by cultivating a bird watching hobby. Which is free. But if I had never ending moolah, I would fully be quitting my job and spending cash on falconry lessons. I can see how bird lovers can go off the deep end and start thinking it is reasonable to spend $600 on a bird.

But in any case, this line of thinking reminds me of how when you go into a store with no money, you see a hundred things you want. But then when you have money to shop, and a mission, you don’t like (want?) anything. There has to be some kind of subconscious mechanics there… You brain feeling fewer material wants when having money in the bank gives you some sort of mental security or feeling of power.

agreed…it’s kinda like the stingy rich person stereotype (in some cases)…they got there by pinching pennies and can’t stop “being that way” no matter how much they end up with…

I know it has certainly had the same effect on us…you almost get a shot of adrenaline when you see your dollars start to build and want to continue to “win” in that way…like “ok that worked…what else can we do to save more”?

GREAT idea! I do something similar with the “Joneses”. When my husband’s cousin was proudly showing us his new boat, RV and ATVs this summer, I smiled and said how much fun that must be for the kids. And inside, I’m thinking, I “could” do that, but…I’d rather have freedom! Freedom from debt and freedom from maintaining all that “stuff”!

I chuckle when I hear people brag about how much money they spent on stuff, like wasting money is an accomplishment to be proud of. A buddy of mine told me he spent over $8000 taking his family on a 3 week road trip this summer. It was quite satisfying to let him know that we spent less than $750 on a 2 week road trip that was probably equally as enjoyable.
I love frugality. : )

At first glance I was ready to pounce on you J$ for being so “stuff conscious” and supporting what appeared to be a competition of who can buy more crap……but after further consideration I understand that it is simply motivation to save more and feel the freedom and impact of the exercise…in valuing what has been saved…rather than abstractly knowing you have a few dollars socked away.

Well done as usual. Although I’d still rather see it as “how close am I to getting off the work treadmill and how far do I have to go?”

What’s even crazier than spending $600 on a bird? Realizing that’s it’s a very noisy,messy creature and surrendering it to your local animal control to get rid of it!
It happens all the time at the shelter where I volunteer. The same bird is then available for an adoption fee of just $60.00!!

And I totally use the “we can go to the pet store and look at the fish after I’m done with my errands” bribery trick with my little dude all the time – works like a charm!

I’m in the baby baller status! (I don’t think I’ve been able to see a non-luxury car dealership that has more than a $33k price tag on it so hopefully I’m being truthful). If not, then one step down. I want to get to master baller status within the next 7 years! That 1 share of Berkshire Hathaway is all I want in life.. jk.

Art. That’s the one thing that literally can cover the entire spectrum of costs above. From a $5 poster on a teen’s wall to the Mona Lisa.

When I graduated college, the first grown up purchase I made was a lithograph by an artist I had loved even as a teen. $600. In comparison, for my 50th birthday, my wife bought me an original work by that same artist. Add a zero to the cost. Like anything else, the things you buy reflect your values. Friends or neighbors who are a level at or above us, and drive cars that reflect that, but art isn’t a priority. As our friend Paula Pant would say, “You can have anything, just not everything.”

Fun game! You might need to move Costco up the list, though. They’ve got quite a few jewelry items listed for $99,999. For example: http://www.costco.com/rings.html?refine=30108+210 That probably beats out Best Buy and Home Depot, and moves it into level 5. :)

My local pet/garden store sells (live) fish for $1,500+ I always wonder who’s buying those.
Oh, and I think the most expensive item there is an $8,000 giant palm tree. I could buy that, and sometimes I dream of doing just that.

This was a great kick to my mindset! At first I was reading and being a little mean to myself, “Yeah, I could do that at the Dollar Store..maybe even Dollar General (where everything isn’t a dollar but close, LOL).” Then I read the list and was like, “Oh, wait, I have savings. Oh, hey, look at me! I found myself trying to figure out the most expensive thing Target sells because I think I might be able to buy anything in there.” Thanks for the perspective. When I’m in the, “I can’t afford anything, ever” midset I tend to spend more recklessly, too, so this will help keep me back on track!

I work in finance, so I like to play this game by considering how long it will be until I will be eligible under the SEC rules to invest in private equity or hedge funds like the big dogs. Here are the rules:

You are an accredited investor if:
You have an individual net worth, or you and your spouse have a combined net worth, in excess of $1 million.
You had individual income, excluding any income attributable to your spouse, of more than $200,000 in the previous two years, and you reasonably expect to do the same this calendar year.
You and your spouse had joint income of more than $300,000 in the previous two years and reasonably expect to do the same in this calendar year. Institutions and pension accounts are subject to more complex criteria, and should consult an accountant.

You are a qualified client if:

You have an individual net worth, or you and your spouse have a combined net worth of $1.5 million
You have at least $750,000 in assets under management

Generally, a hedge fund manager would much rather solicit to a qualified client than an accredited investor. Why? Because managers may only charge their 20% performance fee to qualified clients. While an accredited investor may still invest in the fund, they will only be charged a 2% management fee.

A Qualified Purchaser (or super-credited investor) is one or more of the following:

– an individual who own $5 million or more in investments, including investments held jointly with a spouse.
– a family-held business that owns $5 million or more in investments.
– a business that has discretion over $25 million or more in investments.
– trust sponsored by qualified purchasers.

We used to take our son to the pet store, it was a great form of Free entertainment. It’s so funny to recall those times and great memories.

I agree with you J, being able to afford something and not buying it is a great feeling. Part of the self control and awareness more people need. The purchase is short term satisfying and immediately gratifying but long term empty.

Practicing patience, temperance, and moderation with personal finance are not qualities that are SEXY these days. You can’t make a reality TV show about someone not buying something and being financially prudent…or can you??? In one of your book recommendations – “Millionaire next door” these qualities were continuously highlighted – everyone can learn a lot from this blog.

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I, J. Money, only claim the thoughts from my head. I am not a banker, CPA, money manager or anything else of that sort. Please seek a professional for any "real" advice. More info: privacy & disclosure page